In recent years, in automatic transmission (hereinafter, called AT) of automobile, manual shifting of a switch installed near a steering wheel (hereinafter, called SWH)—manually operating the switch with a finger while holding the SWH—is increasing in addition to shifting a range by operating a floor-shift or a column-shift.
A conventional vehicle switch is explained by using FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a plain view of SWH 1 installing the conventional vehicle switch. Pad 2 incorporates air bag 5, and spoke 3 is disposed between SWH 1 and pad 2.
In a right side and a left side of spoke 3, operating part 4A and 4B are positioned; and on a rear side of operating part 4A and 4B, a plurality of push vehicle switches 4 including a switch contact (not illustrated) are incorporated.
SWH 1 is fixed to a steering shaft (not illustrated) extending from a vehicle's main body. The switch contact is connected to an electronic circuit of the automobile body.
In the above constitution and the automobile is driven with a shift lever shifted to a predetermined position, if upper side operating part 4A with a “+” mark is pressed by for instance a thumb while holding the SWH, electrical switching of the internal switch contact is made sending an electric signal to the electronic circuit of the automobile body, and if a transmission gear of the AT is in 4th gear at the time, the gear is shifted from 4th gear to 5th gear.
Then, if the finger leaves operating part 4A and moves to pressing a lower side of operating part 4B having a “−” mark, electrical switching of the switch contact is made, and the gear is shifted from 5th gear down to 4th gear.
The above marks “+” and “−” indicate increase and decrease. If the push work of operating part 4B and 4A is repeated, the repeated electrical switch signal of the contact shifts the transmission gear down from 4th gear to 3rd gear then to 2nd and 1st gear or up the gear, in response to the pushing operation.
The vehicle switch having above constitution is disclosed by Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 2003-118587.
However, with above conventional vehicle switch, one has to identify visually the operating place before actually working on operating part 4A and 4B. Moreover, when operating a different operating part, one has to leave eyes once from the first operating part then to move to the other part. Because of it, it is difficult to operate the vehicle switch and there is a possibility that miss-operation is easily caused.
The invention is to solve above conventional problems and to provide a lever switch for vehicle (hereafter, LSV) having an easy operation and an ensured operational work.